Also a political analyst, who followed the Workers’ Party (PT) in the first ballot, believes there is a prospect of change in this country, to respond to the interests of society, which has been postponed during the dominance of the extreme right.
“You could see that on the streets, in the conversations with the people, and it’s the willingness of the Brazilian people to end the experience of Jair Bolsonaro and choose Lula,” Osorio said.
Although an exact forecast is not possible because every election is subject to a certain degree of uncertainty, according to the scientist there are clear facts in the result of the first ballot on October 2nd.
The first, Lula, was only about 1.5 percent short of winning that fair; In second place, the flag bearer of the PT Bolsonaro led with more than five points, almost six million votes.
On the other hand, the third and fourth place candidates have already expressed their support for Lula.
“I think it’s very likely that this willingness to change, which I’ve seen in the Brazilian people, will translate into a victory for Lula and the Workers’ Party in the second round,” he said.
Asked about the meaning for Latin America of a virtual triumph by the former union leader, he said it would be a defeat for the new forms of the far right that have taken hold not only in the region but around the world.
A win for Lula will help the region as a whole pave the way for new times of change, he said.
He recalled that during Lula’s tenure (2003-2011) there had been economic expansion, stability, prosperity and social inclusion, lifting millions out of poverty and exclusion. None of that happened at Bolsonaro, he explained.
Asked if he thinks there is a cycle change in the region, he said Latin America has been populated by progressive governments, citing recent cases in Colombia and Chile.
The former Chilean minister concluded that a victory for Lula in Brazil could make a decisive contribution to articulating the progressive camp in the region.
rgh/auto